Category: Blog

I have just completed the trilogy – three books: Total Forgiveness, Totally Forgiving Ourselves, Totally Forgiving God. I think Total Forgiveness is in three languages. It was my friend Rob Parsons (after reading Totally Forgiving Ourselves) phoned me and said, ‘R T, I know what your next book should be – if you have the courage: Totally Forgiving God. I swallowed. I am ashamed to admit, I only thought of my critics at that moment (I do have them), that they would see the title but not read the book. But I got over that and decided to write the book. Both of my publishers (UK and USA) think this is my most important book. (Mind you, all authors think their most  recent book is the best and most important!) But this may well be.

Does God need to be forgiven? What has he done that is wrong? Nothing. Then why forgive him? Because he allows things which he could stop but sometimes doesn’t. He lets things happen to us – bad things, horrible things. He has his reasons for letting them happen. Our responsibility (this pleases him): to let him off the hook, not holding anything against him for what he allows.

An illustration of what I mean: I have a very good friend (renowned theologian) who would not endorse my book The Anointing. I was devastated. But my friend did no wrong; he was being true to himself. I had to forgive him – which I did. This is a drop in the bucket compared to the way we must let God off the hook – set him free and wait for him to clear his Name on the Last Day. He will. Let’s not wait until then to see how he does it; let’s clear his Name now. By faith. Habakkuk did. So can we.

There are two kinds of faith: biblical faith (believing without seeing, as in Hebrews 11:1) and secular faith (seeing is believing, as in Mark 15:32). The only faith that pleases God is believing without seeing. Habakkuk wanted an immediate answer as to why God allows evil. God replied: I will tell you in the ‘end’ (Hab.2:3). Habakkuk might have argued back, ‘That’s not good enough, I want an answer now’. But Habakkuk accepted God’s verdict to wait till the end, and said: ‘Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior’ (Hab.3:17-18).

That was Habakkuk’s way of forgiving God. You and I cannot do better than that.

“Totally Forgiving God”

R.T. Kendall

This is my first blog. All my friends have been doing this for years, and – at long last – I join their ranks. My problem is, I have no secretary, have so many emails, have to do my own bookings; I didn’t have the energy to do a blog every day. But I am going to have a go – starting now.

My son TR works with me full time, he has persuaded me to do this. He handles my website and believes I am missing an opportunity to get my message out. It is so good to have a son who believes in me – and believes my message is needed. I thank God for my son. If you have read my book Totally Forgiving Ourselves you may recall that I have had to forgive myself for putting my ministry first, family second; for I now believe that had I put my family first I would have preached just as well. But I can’t get those years back. However, God has begun to restore the years which the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25); I have TR at my side and I am so proud of him. I should add that our daughter Melissa (now married to Rex Tabb) lives near by. We live in the Nashville area and have TR and Annette (and Toby our three years old grandson) near us. All of our children are serving the Lord. Louise and I are so grateful to God.

If God could restore the years which the locusts have eaten for me, he will do it for you. Forgive yourself – if that is what you needed to do. I did. I am a living testimony of one who has totally forgiven myself. I have not been the same. I am a free man.

Why should you forgive yourself? Because it is what God himself wants you to do. It gives him no pleasure when we say, ‘I know God forgives me but I cannot forgive myself’. That shows we are in some ways trying to pay for our own sin. I was named after R T Williams who would say to ministers, ‘Honor the blood, and honor the Holy Ghost’. We honor the blood by forgiving ourselves. That is what enabled me to cross over into totally forgiving myself. It is why I am free

Watch RT Preaching on Total Forgiveness here